Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
ROBERT KOCHARIAN: COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS IS ONE OF
MOST EFFICIENT STRUCTURES IN CIS

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The Council of Ministers of
Internal Affairs is one of the most efficient structures in CIS. RA
President Robert Kocharian said this on September 30, receiving CIS
Ministers of Internal Affairs who arrived in Yerevan for the purpose
of participating in the regular sitting of the Council of Ministers
of Internal Affairs of CIS member-states. According to Robert
Kocharian, the problems of this sphere are nearly the same in all
countries, which creates a good basis for cooperation.
Estimating the work of Yerevan sitting as efficient, Rashid
Nurghaliyev, RF Minister of Internal Affairs, noted that the issues
they discussed mainly concerned different spheres of struggle against
crime, in particular, problems of coordinated struggle against
terrorism, illegal migration, corruption.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by RA President’s Press Service, during
the meeting the interlocutors exchanged opinions about reforms
carried out in the system of internal affairs of different countries.

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
HEIKKI TALVITIE: NEGOTIATIONS ON COOPERATION OF SOUTH CAUCASIAN
COUNTRIES WITH EUROPEAN UNION POSTPONED FOR ONE MONTH BECAUSE OF
AZERBAIJAN
YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. Negotiations on cooperation of the
South Caucasian countries with the European Union within the program
of European Neighbourhood have been postponed for one month because
of Azerbaijan, EU Special Representative to South Caucasus Heikki
Talvitie told journalists. He said that the negotiations were
expected to start in September, 2005; but Azerbaijan has certain
problems with one of EU countries. “We can not start negotiations
until these problems are solved as the EU pursues balanced policy
regarding the three countries of the South Caucasus”, Talvitie said.
He said that Azerbaijan has one month to solve these problems, after
that parallel negotiations can start. If not the EU will apply
differential approach and will start negotiations with those who are
ready. “Surely, Armenia is ready and will be the first in this list”,
he said. Talvitie also pointed out that the EU-South Caucasus
cooperation should start, and development of these relations depends
on progress the certain country registers. “The role of the South
Caucasus in international policy has increased and it is beneficial
for all countries”, he said. Talvitie pointed out that neighbourhood
program will give opportunity for regional cooperation, and this is
an important factor for region’s development. In this context he
pointed to the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict as well. A.A.
-0–

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
ROBERT KOCHARIAN: ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN PARTNERSHIP’S EXPANSION IN ENERGY
SECTOR MAY BECOME A REAL PROGRAM OF REGIONAL COOPERATION

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. At the fourth session of the
Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic
Cooperation Issues, the sides discussed the urgent problmes in the
bilateral relations and found mutually acceptable and beneficial
solutions to almost all of the issues. The Georgian Prime Minister
Zurab Nogaidely said this at the September 30 meeting with the RA
President Robert Kocharian in Yerevan.
Special attention was paid to the issues of cooperation in the
energy, transport and customs sectors. R. Kocharian and Z. Nogaideli
considered new opportunities for exporting electricity from Armenia
to Georgia. The Armenian President attached special importance to the
expansion of cooperation in the energy sector, which, in his opinion,
may become a real program of regional cooperation.
The sides underlined the necessity for new transport opportunities.
They considered it important to organize direct Yerevan-Tbilisi and
Yerevan-Batumi flights, as well as Yerevan-Batumi railway
communication. They also stressed the need to promote cooperation
between the customs departments of the two countries with the aim of
preventing the illigal turnover of goods subject to excise taxation.
The interlocutors noted that smuggling has been considerably reduced,
but the problem still remains.
According to the RA Presidental press service, R. Kocharian and Z.
Nogaideli also addressed the problem of the socioeconomic situation
in Javakhk. The Georgian Prime Minister said the government intends
to implement a 5-year program on repairing motorways in Javakhk with
funds provided by the Millennnium Challenges Fund and the state
budget allocations. The government of Georgia also intends to carry
out educational programs for the Armenian-speaking citizens and take
an active part in school construction in Javakhk.

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
ARA ABRAHAMIAN PRESENTS TO VARTAN OSKANIAN ARMENIAN PROGRAMS OF UNION
OF ARMENIANS IN RUSSIA
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Ara Abrahamian,
the Chairman of the World Armenian Congress, of the Union of
Armenians in Russia presented the 5-years activity of the Union of
Armenians in Russia and spoke about its Armenian programs at the
September 29 meeting with Vartan Oskanian, the RA Foreign Minister.
The Union created cultural, youth and educational centers, an
institute which is busy with issues of international policy and the
Genocide.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, programs implemented by the organization
jointly with the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, the
Writers’ Union of Amenia, numerous educational and cultural
institutions were presented as well. Ara Abrahamian informed that he
intends to found a branch in Yerevan as well for coordinating
programs to be implemented in Armenia.
The RA Foreing Minister mentioned the necessity of an agreed activity
of Diasporan Armenian organizations. An active participation of the
structures headed by Ara Abrahamian in the Armenia-Diaspora forum to
be organized the next year was spoken about.
At the guests’ request, Minister Oskanian spoke briefly about current
developments of the region.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 28 2005
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT’S RESOLUTION ON TURKEY POSITIVE, NATURAL: VARTAN
OSKANYAN
YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan
considers the resolution on Turkey concerning the admission of the
Armenian Genocide adopted by the European Parliament to be positive
and natural. At his press conference on the upcoming visit of the
Special Representative of the European Parliament to the South
Caucasus, Minister Oskanyan said that if Turkey wants to be admitted
to the EU, it must meet the standards of European countries.
Therefore, it has to re-open the border with Armenia, take a sober
view of its past and make an appropriate assessment of the 1915
events.
EU Special Representative to the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie
shared Minister Oskanyan’s opinion, pointing out that the European
Parliament’s resolution means that the issues of Armenian-Turkish
relations will be settled during negotiations for Turkey’s admission
to the EU. On Wednesday, the European Parliament voted for
negotiations with Turkey. On the other hand, it adopted a resolution
recommending Turkey to admit mass murders of Armenians. In his turn,
Turkish Premier Recep Tayip stated that Turkey will not admit the
Armenian Genocide during WWI. P.T. -0–

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 28 2005
THE RA PRESIDENT AND A SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EU TO THE SOUTH
CAUCASUS DISCUSS THE PROCESS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. The RA President Robert Kocharyan and
a special representative, Ambassador of the EU to the South Caucasus
Heikki Talvitie discussed the process of the constitutional reforms
in Armenia. According to the President’s Press Service, the sides
evaluated the reforms as a new possibility for the development of
democracy in the country. According to the press release, in the
course of the meeting the issues of the Armenia -EU cooperation in
the framework of the New Neighborhood Program were discussed. The
sides touched upon the Karabakh conflict settlement issues and those
of regional development. A.H. -0–

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2005
ARMENIAN POLITICIANS ARE OF SAME OPINION ON TURKEY’S NOT BEING
DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The September
30 discussion with the participation of representative of different
political forces and organized by the National Press-Club was
dedicated to discussion of issues on Turkey’s membership to the
European Union, the current stage of mutual relations between Turkey
and Europe as well as possible perspectives of the Armenian-Turkish
relations. Representatives of the Republican, Democratic,
Christian-Democratic Parties of Armenia as well as of the ARF and
“Orinats Yerkir” (Country of Law) participated in the discussion.
The politicians were of the same opinion that Turkey isn’t a
democratic country yet.
According to Kiro Manoyan, the head of the Hai Dat (Armenian Cause)
ARF Bureau, the issue of Turkey’s membership to the EU should reach a
positive solution only after its recognition of the Armenian
Genocide: “Turkey should change itself, and here we see both its
recognition of its past and establishment of normal relations with
Armenia.” Manoyan pointed out the necessity of using all possible
levers of influence on Turkey with the goal of reaching those aims.
According to Aram Sargsian, the representative of the Democratic
Party of Armenia, surely, the issue of recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is the most important one and should always be on agenda, at
the same time, the Armenian-Turkish relations should be studied in a
wider context. So, it’s necessary to take into account that the
Armenian-Turkish relations are a component part of the national
security of Armenia: “Doesn’t the fact that Turkey doesn’t recognize
the Genocide and keep the border close prove that it is dangerous for
us just as it was before?” According to A.Sargsian, unsuccessfully,
the RA hasn’t worked out a conception of relations with Turkey by
now.”
“Germany’s recognition of the Holocaust was first necessary for the
German society but the Turkish public opinion isn’t ready for
recognition of the Armenian Genocide yet,” Khosrov Haroutiunian, the
Chairman of the Christian-Democratic party of Armenia stated.
According to him, in the case of relations established between the EU
and Turkey today, Armenia should attempt to use the European
political idea for its interests.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Flint Journal, MI
Sept 30 2005
Raw energy permeates SOAD’s concert
Review
By Nikki Poisson
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
DETROIT – There were no frills Thursday night at Joe Louis Arena.
There was no “I’m glad to be back in Detroit.” There were no
self-serving guitar solos.
There were only 105 minutes of raw energy served up by one of today’s
most thought-provoking bands, System of a Down.
A quartet of Armenian-Americans from Los Angeles, System of a Down is
today’s answer to protest rock. And while lambasting topics such as
war, mass media brainwashing and overconfident white Americans isn’t
anything new, no one has done it in the punk rock heavy-hitting
intensity that SOAD has.
The show opened with the band behind a large black veil of cloth
donning the cover of their new album “Mezmerize” with a spotlight
casting a shadow on guitarist Daron Malakian.
As the cloth dropped and a haze fell over the audience, SOAD broke
into “Soldier Side” and then onto their recent radio hit “B.Y.O.B.”
featuring the infamous line “Why don’t presidents fight the war?/ Why
do they always send the poor?”
>From there the band went into a pulverizing rendition of “Revenga,”
while bassist Shavo Odadjian stalked the stage.
“Hypnotize,” the title track from the other half of their double
album due out Nov. 22, gave the audience a sneak peek into what
sounds to be another huge success.
>From there the night transcended from one song to another with such
precision it was as if System of a Down were a well-oiled machine.
>From “Know” to “Needles” to “Deer Dance” the floor erupted each time
frontman Serj Tankian led out one of his signature verses.
Tankian fervently belted out lyrics about war, mass media
brainwashing and man’s inhumanity toward his fellow man. While
Malakian danced in circles, Odadjian continued to stalk both sides of
the stage and drummer John Dolmayan pounded the skins with such
intensity it’s no wonder the crowd was on its feet from beginning to
end.

Cyprus News Agency, Cyprus
Sept 30 2005
1,928 registered to vote for Armenian House Representative
CNA – NICOSIA-Cyprus – 30/9/2005 17:27
Nicosia, Sep 30 (CNA) — Individuals registered in the special voting
list of the Armenians Religious Group, with the right to vote in the
by-election of the Armenian Representative at the Cyprus House of
Representatives, to take place on October 9, are up to 1,928, a press
release issued by the competent authority said.
The release said that Armenians voters are 1,218 in Nicosia, 305 in
Limassol, 404 in Larnaca and one in Paphos.

Voice of America
Sept 30 2005
Standoff Threatens Start of Turkey’s Membership Negotiations with EU
By Roger Wilkison
Brussels

European Union foreign ministers will hold emergency talks in
Luxembourg Sunday in a last-ditch attempt to break a deadlock over
the scheduled beginning of the bloc’s membership negotiations with
Turkey a day later. The standoff has been caused by Austria’s
insistence that the EU should only open talks if a clear alternative
to full membership for Turkey is inserted in the negotiating
framework.
Last December, all 25 EU members, including Austria, agreed that
Turkey’s long-sought membership talks should begin on October 3.
They promised Turkey that the goal of the negotiations, which are
expected to take at least a decade, would be full membership in the
bloc and nothing else.
But that was before voters in France and the Netherlands turned down
the EU’s draft constitution. Among the reasons they gave for doing
so was a concern about the EU’s ability to absorb such a huge, mostly
poor and overwhelmingly Muslim country like Turkey.
Whereas most EU states think they should stick to their commitment to
begin talks with Turkey, given Ankara’s fulfillment of EU demands
that it improve human rights, reform its judicial system and move
towards a market economy, most European citizens are either opposed
or indifferent to Turkish membership.
Austria is the only EU country to publicly oppose the start of talks
with Turkey. Vienna says the negotiations should only begin if
Turkey is offered an option to full membership that Austrian
diplomats describe as a “privileged partnership” with the bloc.
Turkey says it will not accept any goal for the negotiations other
than full membership and has warned the EU it will not show up for
Monday’s talks unless that is made clear.
Fadi Hakura, a specialist on Turkey at London’s Chatham House
research institute, says the Austrian government is trying to score
points with its Turco-skeptic voters and may also be trying to force
the EU to start negotiations with Croatia, whose membership it has
long supported.
“Austrian public opinion at the present time is hostile to Turkey’s
EU accession hopes,” said Fadi Hakura. “Also, Austria is trying to
use, it seems to me that it is trying to use [Turkish] accession as a
leverage to open accession talks with Croatia. And also, for
domestic political consumption, it has adopted somewhat of a tough
position.”
British diplomats, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency,
are scrambling to work out a deal with the Austrians to soften their
opposition to Turkey. One possibility is a commitment for the EU to
begin membership talks with Croatia in the near future, under certain
conditions. The EU has suspended such talks with Croatia because of
what it says is Croatia’s failure to cooperate with the war crimes
tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
Diplomats in Brussels say there are two other options to resolve the
impasse and arrive at the consensus the EU needs to proceed with
opening the talks with Turkey. One is to craft a declaration that
could mollify Austria’s demands without alienating the Turks, a
difficult challenge at this point. And the second is for the other
24 EU members to stare Austria down and remind it that it is going
back on the commitment it made last December to begin negotiations
with Turkey.
Even if membership talks do begin on schedule, Turkey will have a
rough time in the years ahead. The European Parliament demanded this
week that Turkey recognize the killing of Armenians by the Ottoman
Empire during World War I as genocide. Cyprus threatens to block the
negotiations if Turkey does not soon recognize the island’s
government. And France says it will hold a referendum on Turkish
entry into the EU once negotiations are concluded.
In Turkey, meanwhile, there is anger and frustration at what Turks
see as the EU’s backpedaling on its pledge to admit their country.
Deniz Baykal, the head of the Republican Peoples’ Party, the only
major opposition group in parliament, reflects Turkish public opinion
when he says the EU keeps moving the goal posts.
“We have taken important reforms during the last several years,” Mr.
Baykal said. “We changed our constitution. We changed our
legislation. We changed our practices…Now, the European Union is
saying that Turkey’s being a member of Europe does not depend on
Turkey’s performance, but [on] our capability of having Turkey as a
big country in Europe. They were asking Turkey to meet certain
criteria. Now they begin to say that they themselves are not ready
to accept Turkey.”
Turkish diplomats in Brussels say the combination of opposition among
Europeans to Turkey’s membership and EU demands on such issues as
Kurdish rights, Cyprus and the killing of Armenians have inflamed
deep-seated Turkish nationalism. They say that most Turks still
support EU membership, but that the percentage is steadily
decreasing. And they say that, as Turkey and the EU get down to the
nitty-gritty of negotiations, that support could fall even further.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress